Expansible pulley.



No. 662,85I. V Patented Nov. 27, |900.

' J. FLORENCE.

EXPANSIBLE VPULLEY.

(Application filed Feb. 16, 1900.)

` WITNESSESI INVENTOR TH; mams Pneus to Normung wn au'r'm n nrrnn Srnrns `rr'rnarir rrp.

JOHN FLORENCE, OF NEVVNAN, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO OLIVER A. ROBBINS, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

nxeAnsneLE PULLEY'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,851, dated November 2'?, 1900.

Application filed February 16, 1900. Serial No. 5,493. (No model.)

`and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in expansion-pulleys, and has for its object to provide an expansion-pulley which may be readily adj usted to increase or ldecrease the size of its periphery for the purpose of correspondingly increasing or decreasing` the speed of the belt running over said pulley.

My invention consists in the novel construction hereinafter described and claimed and will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same parts are indicated by the same letters of reference throughout the several views.

Figure l is a side view of one form of my expansion-pulley, parts being broken away for the sake of illustration. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the pulley shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig.

`elE is a View similar to Fig. l, showing an expansion-pulley of a somewllat-modied construction froln that shown in Fig. l. Fig. 5 is an edge view of the pulley shown in Fig. 4E, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 t' in Fig. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, the pulley therein shown consists of a central hub E0, carrying flexible spokes E@ having a curvature, as shown, and the said spokes carrying each a segmental portion E2 of the rim of the pulley. The inner sides of these'segmental portions of the rim are provided with inclined lugs e, against which abuts a circular disk E3, having a bevel periphery, as seen at' e3 in Fig. 3, the said circular disk having ahead E, provided with a central opening fitting over a reduced portion e0 of the hub E0. The said reduced portion of the hub E0 has a screwthreaded end at e', upon which engages a screw-threaded nut e2, by means of which the disk E may be forced inwardly or allowed to move outwardly with relation to the sectional rim of the pulley. As the said nut c2 is secured on the hub E0 the disk causes the segment E2, constituting the rim of the pulley, to extend; but upon being` eased off the said segments are allowed to contract under the influence of the flexible spokes E', as will be readily understood.

Instead of the form 0f pulley shown in Figs. l to 3 I may use a form of pulley such as is shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, wherein the hub E5 of the pulley is separate, and each segment E6 of the rim has two liexible spokes c6 rigidly connected thereto. The said spokes e6 are connected to two annular collars E7, normally spaced a short distance apart and mounted upon the central hub E5. These two collars E7 are each solid or continuous, and by reason of the spokes e6 being iixed to the segments of the rim and at their opposite ends to the said rings these parts may be said to be integral. The spokes diverge normally from their connection with the rim to the respective rings E7, and the said spokes being of a resilient material allow the said rings to be compressed `toward each other. These rings and the spokes connected thereto constitute the expander for the pulley-rim. The said collars are secured upon the hub by means of a screw-threaded nut e7, engaging screw-threads e8 upon the central hub E5, seen most clearly in Fig. 6. In this form of pulley the segmental rim thereof is expanded or contracted by screwing up or on loosening off the screw-threaded nut e7 upon the screwthread e8, as desired.

The expansion pulley hereinbefore described may be readily and quickly adjusted to either expand or contract the periphery thereof, as will be clearly seen.

I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details of construction herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings, as variations might be made which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. An expansion-pulley comprising a rim IOO composed of segmental sections; flexible spokes ixed to said sections; a threaded hub; and nut engaging said hub for' causing the ex! pansion of said sections by compression, substantially as described.

2. An expansion-pulley comprising a rim composed of segmental sections; flexible spokes fixed to said sections; a threaded hub; an expander tting Within said rim; and a nut engaging said hub arranged to compress 1o said expander Within said rim, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN FLORENCE. Witnesses:

J. F. LOVEJOY, CULVER SIMS. 

